The findings (Hiring for Attitude [pdf]) are based on 5,247 interviews. It shows the top five reasons why new hires failed (were fired, asked to leave, received disciplinary action or significantly negative performance reviews).
The 5 Biggest Reasons why New Hires Fail
The following are the top 5 areas of failure, matched with the percentage of respondents.
1. Coachability (26%): The ability to accept and implement feedback from bosses, colleagues, customers and others.
2. Emotional Intelligence (23%): The ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions, and accurately assess others’ emotions.
3. Motivation (17%): Sufficient drive to achieve one’s full potential and excel on the job.
4. Temperament (15%): Attitude and personality suited to the particular job and work environment.
5. Technical Competence (11%): Functional or technical skills required to do the job.
Technical competence is fairly easy to test. Don’t ask people how they would do something, Ask them about a time they have already done it. Don’t allow people to tell you hypothetical stories, make them share real experience.
Coachability, emotional intelligence, motivation and temperament are more predictive of a new hires’ success or failure than technical skills are.
Positive Attitudes of High Performers:
• They take ownership of problems
• They’re highly collaborative
• They aren’t afraid to make mistakes
• They meet commitments
• They’re empathetic towards customers’ and colleagues’ needs
Negative Attitudes of Poor Performers:
• They always find the negative
• They gossip
• They respond to feedback with an argument
• They only do the bare minimum expected of them
• They get overwhelmed by multiple demands and priorities
• They always find someone else to blame for their mistakes
• They’re unwilling to leave their comfort zone
